Pistol firing holster set



NOV. 22, 1960 v PULLEN 2,960,790

PISTOL FIRING HOLSTER SET Filed Feb. 5, 1960 ZL-ip 7! 28 r A! 0 ,I N INVENTOR. 5@-. 34 ER/c: l ULLE/V 24 g i /2 BY 1 55 ga @8 4. 4 ATTORNEY United States Patent PISTOL FIRING HOLSTER SET Eric V. Pullen, Canoga Park, Calih, assignor to Knicker. bocker Plastic Co., Inc., North Hollywood, (Ialifi, a corporation of California Filed Feb. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 6,934

7 Claims. (Cl. 46-1) to toy holsters which holding and in firing a gun This invention pertains are adapted to be used in both such as, for example, a pistol.

An object of the present invention is to provide toy holsters which can be used not only for the established purpose of holding a firearm, but which can be used in addition in the firing of such a weapon. Thus, for example, with the present invention a child may carry a toy gun in a holster of this invention and may fire this same toy gun without removing it from the holster. The present invention, however, goes further than this. An object of this invention is to provide devices of the category indicated which may be actuated so as to provide a very definite, decided surprise vaue during play activities. Another object of this invention is to provide toy holsters in which such surprise value is achieved through the use of a structure which automatically rotates a holster and a gun from a carrying position to a firing .position and which automatically fires such a toy gun in the latter position.

Further general objects of the present invention are to provide toy holsters of the type indicated which are relatively simple in constructional details, which are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and which are capable of withstanding the abuse normally accorded any toy article by children. A still further object of the present invention is to provide toy holster and gun sets which are adapted to be used as a unit in play activities.

These and further objects of the present invention as well as many specific advantages of it will be more fully apparent from a detailed consideration of the remainder of this description including the appended claims and the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a toy holster and gun set of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial side elevational view of a part of this set, this view b'eing partially broken away in the interest of clarity;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 4-4 of Tlre accompanying drawing is primarily intended so as to clearly illustrate a presently preferred embodiment or for-m of this invention. Those skilled in the toy field will realize that a number of differently appearing toy holster and gun sets operating in the same manner as the particular set illustrated may be designed and constructed on the basis of this disclosure through the use of routine *engineeringskill or ability. For this reason the accomvpa-ny'ing drawing is not to be taken as limiting this invention in-any respect.

As an aid to understanding the invention it can be state in essentially summary form that it concerns 1toy .holsters,each of which is adapted to be used with atoy gun, and each of which is formed so as to include a mounting member adapted to be secured to the abodyof an individual, a-holster rotatably mounted on this mount- :pistol 68 is fired during the use of the'set 10 a 2,960,790 Patented Nov. 22, 1950 ing member, spring means for rotating the holster from a carrying position with respect to the mounting member to a firing position with respect to the mounting member, trigger actuating means for firing a weapon held by the holster when the holster is rotated with a weapon in it from a carrying position to the firing position, and sep arate latch and control means for regulating the position of the holster with respect .tothe mounting member, and for releasing the holster so that the spring rotates the holster from such a carrying position to a firing position. The actual nature of this invention is best described by referring directly to the accompanying drawing. Here there is shown a complete toy holster and gun set 10 of the present invention which utilizes a mounting member 12, having an upper extremity 14 adapted to appear as a part of a complete belt 16 and end loops 18 adapted to be carried by this belt. The mounting member 12 also includes an opening 20 containing a rivet 22 which is used so as to rotatably mount a holster plate 24 upon this mounting member 12. As indicated in Fig. .3 of the drawing the plate 24 contains a centrally located depressed boss 26, the base 28 of which is engaged by this rivet 22 in such a manner that this base 28 rotates directly against the mounting member 12. The holster plate 24 has the general shape ofa conventional holster when viewed in elevation and includes a cylindrical wall 30 which is spaced concentrically aroundthe boss 26 and which bears against the mounting member 12 so as to stabilize this plate 24 as it is being rotated. A wire spring 34 is coiled about the exterior of the boss 26 and is located so that an end 36 of this spring 34 is held against a projection 38 formed ,on the mounting member 12 and so that another end 40 of it fits within the small hole 42 in the cylindrical wall 30. With this construction the spring 34 will normally :tend to rotate the holster plate 24 toward a firing posi- ,tion 44 as indicated in phantom in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In order to hold the holster plate 24 in a carrying positiorr as'indicated-by the full lines in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing a small latch member 46 is mounted about ,.a pin 48 extending from the mounting member 12. This latch member 46 is of a generally bell crank lever shape and includes a leg 50 resting against another pin 52 extending from the mounting member 12. The further resilient leg 54 of the latch member 46 carries a small eye 56 which is adapted to be secured to a flexible control strand '58 as through the use of a knot (not shown) or the equivalent. The extremity of the leg 54 normally resil'iently bears against the exterior of the wall 3%. This 'wall is formed so as to include a radial wall 60 which is "adapted to latch against the end of the leg 54 when the "holster plate 24 is rotated to a carrying position as shown.

in order to complete the set 10 a flexible holster cover "62 is attached to the plate 24 by any conventional means {not shown) such as lacings or the like in such a manner that it defines a complete holster having a top opening 1 6.6 which is..ada.pted to expose the barrel 70 of this pistol when it is located as shown in Fig. 1. In order to prevent the pistol .68 from being dislodged from the position illustrated in Fig. .1 as it is being carried or when the flexible strap '72 is attached to the holster plate 24. The strap 72 is capable of being passed around the pistol '68 and held :in

place .by means of a .snap 74 connecting the strap 72 with the cover 62.

A-circular slot 76 .is located generally beneath the cover .62 within the holster plate 24. A trigger actuating lug attached to the mounting member 12 extends through this slot 76 so as to terminate on the side of the plate remote from the mounting member 12. The slot 76 is located concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation 'the pistol 68. deformed slightly, and as the pistol 68 hits bottom of this holder plate 24 so that this plate may rotate without binding of the lug 78 with respect to the walls and slot 76.

A cam 80 extends from the side of the holster plate 24 remote from the mounting member 12. This cam 80 is provided with an essentially flat surface 82 which is adapted to fit against the trigger guard 84 of the pistol .68 when this pistol is within the set as illustrated. Further, the cam 80 is designed so as to lift a part of this pistol 68 as it is being inserted through the top opening 64 by engaging the trigger guard 84 on the pistol 68 so as to push this portion of the pistol 68 away from the holster plate 24 in order to guide the pistol 68 so that they actuating lug 78 automatically fits generally within this guard 84 adjacent to a trigger 86 forming a part of During such insertion the cover 62 is with respect to the plate 24 and the cover 62, and is released, the cover 62 will tend to return to its initial position, and in so doing will exert pressure tending to move the lug 78 within the guard 84.

The use of the complete set 10 is essentially very simple. Initially it is normally preferred to rotate the plate 24 to the carrying position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing and then to insert the gun 68 as described in the preceding. At this point the control strand 58 may be located upon the body of an individual or elsewhere as may be desired. As a pull is applied to this strand 58 it is pulled through a guide 88 so as to spring the leg 54 of the latch member 46 away from the wall 30. When this occurs the spring 34 will automatically rotate the holster plate 24, the gun 68 and the cover 62 to the firing position 44 indicated in Fig. 1. Rotation will stop at this position because of the limiting eflect achieved by the end of the slot 76 hitting the lug 78. As this rotation occurs the actuating lug 78 remains in one position while the trigger 86 is rotated with respect to it. This trigger will be engaged by this lug 78 so as to cause a discharge of the gun 68 when it is in the firing position 44 described.

At this point the holster plate 24 may be rotated back to the carrying position, placing the spring 34 under tension. As this occurs the resiliency of the leg 54 will automatically cause the plate 24 to become locked in the carrying position shown, and the entire set 10 will be ready for reuse if the gun 68 is of a type which may be fired a number of times in succession without being separately recocked or readjusted.

A number of difli'erent types of guns may be employed within the set 10; in the presently preferred commercial set of this invention the gun 68 is of a conventional type which is adapted to fire a dart 90 from the barrel 70 as it is used. With this type of gun recocking of the gun proper may be achieved by the simple expedient of inserting the dart 90 within the barrel 70 until it is lodged in place. Such an operation can be carried out without removing the gun 68 from the set 10 as shown. However, if desired, various other types of weapons, such as water pistols or the like may be constructed in accordance with the conventional or other designs so as to fit within and so as to be used within the set 10 in the same manner in which the gun 68 is used in this set.

Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will realize that in the set 10 the holster plate 24 and the cover 62 constitute a complete holster. Other differently appearing holsters can of course be utilized with this invention; in a similar manner a number of other changes may be made in the structure shown without departing from the essential features or principles of this invention as set forth in this description. For these reasons this invention is to be considered as being limited only by the appended claims forming a part of this disclosure.

I claim:

1. A toy holster structure for use in firing a gun carried by said holster structure which includes: a mounting member adapted to be secured to the body of an individual; a holster rotatably mounted on said mounting member so as to be capable of being moved from a carrying position to a firing position; spring means connecting said holster and said mounting member for rotating said holster from said carrying position to said firing position; trigger actuating means extending into said holster from said mounting member; latch means for holding said holster in said carrying position against rotation caused by said spring means; and control means extending from said holster and said mounting member, said control means being attached to said latch means for use in actuating said latch means so as to cause said latch means to release said holster, allowing said holster to be rotated from said carrying position to said firing position.

2. A toy holster structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said control'means comprises a flexible strand, an extremity of said strand being remote from said mounting member.

3. A toy holster structure as defined in claim 1 including cam means for positioning a pistol within said holster so that a trigger of said pistol is located adjacent to said trigger actuating means.

4. A pistol firing holster set which includes: a mounting member adapted to be secured to the body of an individual; a holster rotatably mounted on said mounting member so as to be capable of being moved from a carrying position to a firing position; a pistol located within said holster so that the barrel of said pistol is exposed from one end of said holster, said pistol having a trigger located within said holster; spring means connecting said holster and said mounting member for rotating said holster from said carrying position to said firing position; trigger actuating means extending from said mounting means to adjacent to said trigger of said pistol, said trigger actuating means being capable of engaging said trigger when said holster is rotated from said carrying position to said firing position so as to fire said pistol in said firing position; latch means for holding said holster in said carrying position against rotation caused by said spring means; and control means for releasing said latch means, allowing said holster to be rotated from said carrying position to said firing position.

5. A pistol firing holster set as defined in claim 4 including strap means for holding said pistol within said holster, said strap means being attached to said holster.

6. A pistol firing holster set as defined in claim 4 including cam means for locating said trigger with respect to said trigger actuating means during the insertion of said pistol within said holster.

7. A holster structure for use in firing a gun carried by said holster structure, which holster structure includes: a mounting member, one extremity of said mounting member being adapted to be secured to a belt so as to form a part thereof, said mounting member having an opening located therein and having a trigger actuator lug extending therefrom; a holster plate having a depressed boss formed thereon and having a cylindrical wall located concentrically around said boss, and having a slot formed therein so as to extend concentrically around said boss, said holster plate being located upon said mounting member so that said cylindrical wall and said boss are located against said mounting member; rivet means extending through said opening in said mounting member and connecting said boss with said mounting member so as to secure said holster plate with respect to said mounting member so that said holster plate may rotate between carrying and firing positions, in which said trigger actuating lug is located at opposite ends of said slot; spring means located around said boss, one extremity of said spring means being held by said mounting member and the other extremity of said spring means being held by said cylindrical wall, said spring means normally tending to rotate said holster plate from said 5 carrying position to said firing position; latch means mounted on said mounting member for engaging said holster plate in order to hold said holster plate in said carrying position against the pressure of said spring means tending to rotate said holster plate to said firing position; control means attached to said latch means so as to extend therefrom away from said mounting member and said holster plate; a cover secured to said holster plate so as to define a top opening adapted to receive a pistol and a bottom opening adapted to expose the barrel of said pistol when it is held between said cover and said holster plate; strap means for securing said pistol against movement away from said holster plate and cover through said top opening, said strap means being capable of connecting said holster plate and said cover; and cam means for guiding said pistol away from said holster plate as said pistol is being inserted through said top opening so that said pistol will be moved so that said trigger actuating lug is located adjacent to a trigger of said pistol when said pistol is located generally between said cover and said holster plate, said cover normally holding said pistol with respect to said holster plate so that when said latch means is actuated said holster plate, said cover and said pistol are rotated to a firing position and so that said trigger actuating lug engages said trigger of said pistol in order to fire said pistol at said firing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,046,912 Wanee Dec. 10, 1912 1,768,177 Wanee June 24, 1930 2,347,006 Tibbetts Apr. 18, 1944 2,708,537 Dec May 17, 1955 2,917,214 Resnick Dec. 15, 1959 

